Annual Turkey Bowl flag-football tourney gives (aging) adults their chance on the field

Sunday

Nov 29, 2009 at 12:01 AMNov 29, 2009 at 10:35 AM

Ed Niper coaches football, so he should have known what he was getting into when he signed up for a full day of the sport at Hilliard Municipal Park yesterday.

Ed Niper coaches football, so he should have known what he was getting into when he signed up for a full day of the sport at Hilliard Municipal Park yesterday.

Perhaps nothing could have prepared the 42-year-old Columbus resident -- who coaches eighth-grade tackle football at Immaculate Conception School in Clintonville -- for the pummeling he was to endure at the hands of his fellow weekend warriors.

"We're just a bunch of guys coming out here for a little fun, a Thanksgiving festivity," he said between games yesterday. "We didn't realize that we were playing teams from all over the state.

"When you're 20 years out of playing, you probably shouldn't play anymore."

But he did, along with about 100 other adults ranging in age from 20s to 50s. The fourth annual Turkey Bowl tournament gave adults a turn at the gridiron after a season of watching kids play in the Flag Football Fanatics league.

Andrew Mueller, vice president of the league, said the season-ending tournament is a chance to squeeze in one final weekend of football before the weather gets in the way.

"We try to keep it fun for the kids," he said. "It is a different aspect with the adults. That's when the real competitive nature really comes out."

Many of the adults were parents and coaches in the 1,000-child league, which plays in Dublin, Westerville, Grove City, Hilliard, Worthington and three Dayton-area cities. Others were just lured by the idea of living out their football fantasies on a clear, brisk Saturday right after Thanksgiving.

"I always wanted to play football, so now's my time to lace up my shoes and go out and live my dreams," said Scott Crawford, 23, of Columbus.

Unlike the children's league, adults are allowed to block. The only difference from "real" football is the rule against tackling.

Many players emerged with bumps and bruises; some real, some only to their middle-aged egos. One younger player, however, was taken away in an ambulance in the late morning after apparently suffering a heart attack. His prognosis was good, other players said later.

A team from Dayton, composed of players with bona fide football credentials, inflicted the most pain on the Columbus teams, with double-digit blowouts and physical play.

"This team was crazy, knocking everybody down," said Marsha Balderas of Hilliard, whose husband Jerry and his teammates on the Hostile Herrons lost to the Dayton team, 48-0. "They're definitely rough. It's not what you would expect from flag football."

Perhaps, though, it's best to suspend one's expectations -- and add a dose of bravado for good measure.

"This is a cakewalk compared to soccer," said Johnny Ulry, 24, of Westerville, who coaches soccer and lacrosse. "With soccer, I'll try to break your leg.

"This is Thanksgiving weekend, football Saturday. It's good to pretend that we're real football players, making sweet moves like you see on TV."

jnash@dispatch.com

"I always wanted to play football, so now's my time to ... go out and live my dreams."